Saturday Looms Large For Pirates, Cavs

U.va., Georgia Tech Both After Bowl Bid

November 04, 1997|By DAVE JOHNSON Daily Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE — The last time a University of Virginia-Georgia Tech football game had any significance attached to it, the Cavaliers were the No. 1 team in the land and somebody literally torched the playing field about 12 hours before kickoff.

That game, which catapulted the Yellow Jackets to an undefeated season and national championship seven years ago, may have had a little more on the line. But Saturday afternoon's meeting at Scott Stadium is nonetheless crucial because (a) it's November, and (b) the bowl picture is starting to come into focus.

``Both of us are in similar situations,'' Virginia coach George Welsh said. ``It's one of those conference games at the end of the season that will go a long way in determining what happens in December.''

The Cavaliers (5-3, 4-2 ACC) can finish third in the conference if they win out. But so can Georgia Tech (4-3, 3-2), which hasn't been to a bowl game since 1991.

The ACC champion goes into the Bowl Alliance with three additional teams lining up in the Gator, Peach and Carquest. But Florida's loss to Georgia last week gives the ACC's runner-up - i.e., the loser of Saturday's Florida State-North Carolina game - a better chance of going in the Alliance as an at-large team.

That would create a bowl opening for a fifth ACC team, providing it has six victories against Division I-A competition. Aside from the Cavaliers and Georgia Tech, Clemson (3-3 vs. I-A) and N.C. State (3-4) have mathematical chances.

But for Virginia, which as the nation's 12th-ranked team was upset 13-7 last year in Atlanta, Saturday's game is all that matters. At least for now.

``It's very important to us,'' said quarterback Aaron Brooks, who accounted for five touchdowns in Virginia's 45-0 pasting of Maryland Saturday. ``It's important in the sense that we know we have a good chance for postseason play if we win. It's big. We just want to, bing-bang, win out.''

``It's a big game for us as far as the bowl situation goes,'' said safety Anthony Poindexter, who expects to start Saturday after missing last week's game with a sprained ankle. ``We need a win, and we've got a little momentum going. And not only for this year, but for the future. Getting some wins at the end of the season can only get our confidence up.''

November has been a hard-to-call month for the Cavaliers over the years. From 1987-89, Virginia went 9-0 in November. But in their infamous collapse of '90, the Cavs lost three of four games. Counting Saturday's victory, Virginia is 13-11 in November during the '90s.

The Cavaliers are coming off by far their most impressive outing of the season. It was positive for a number of reasons, but the revival of the running game might head that list. Virginia entered the game next-to-last in the ACC at 108 rushing yards per game. In far-from-ideal playing conditions, they finished with a season-best 226 Saturday.

The defense posted its first shutout in four seasons despite missing its best player. Poindexter, who has had at least one sore ankle since Virginia's victory over Wake Forest on Oct. 4, got some much-needed inactivity.

In all, it was total domination. But, keep in mind, it came against Maryland, which won't be confused for Nebraska anytime soon.

``Well, you're never as good as you think you are when you win and you're never as bad as you look when you lose,'' Welsh said.

``You know, 5-3 could easily be 5-6 at the end of the season. It could be a lot of things. We're not over the hump yet. We have a crucial game (Saturday), and whoever wins that one probably gets third place.''